GitHub - malek-Malek A./private-cloud-manager
Malek A. — Cyber Security Engineer
🚀 Just shipped a new side project: Private Cloud Manager (PCM)
Link to the repo : https://github.com/malek-Malek A./private-cloud-manager
A local VM control plane that turns your VMware Workstation Pro environment into a clean, web-based private cloud.
As my homelab kept growing, managing dozens of VMs through the native VMware GUI, random scripts, and scattered terminals became painful. So instead of writing yet another script, I decided to build a proper control layer around it.
What I built:
Modern React + TypeScript dashboard for VM inventory, job management, and real-time monitoring
Express backend handling orchestration, policies, and execution logic
Robust job engine with full lifecycle states: Pending • Running • Succeeded • Failed • Held
In-browser SSH terminal powered by WebSockets + xterm.js
Native VMware vmrun integration for seamless VM lifecycle operations (start, stop, suspend, etc.)
Prisma + SQLite for local state management and complete audit logging
AI Integration done right:
I connected it with OpenClaw + Ollama via a local plugin that exposes safe, controlled tools such as:
pcm_list_vms
pcm_start_vm
pcm_stop_vm
pcm_ssh_exec
The most important part? Architectural boundaries.
The AI layer doesn’t bypass the system. It uses the exact same APIs, job queue, and execution engine as the web UI. This ensures:
Centralized control ✅
Full auditability ✅
Consistent behavior ✅
Safer operations by design ✅
Private Cloud Manager lives at the intersection of:
🏠 Homelab / Private Cloud
🛠️ Platform Engineering
💾 Local-first Infrastructure
🤖 AI-assisted Operations
This project is a great reminder that cloud management principles aren’t just for hyperscale environments. Even a local VMware Workstation setup benefits massively from proper inventory, APIs, jobs, logging, and a clean operator interface.
And when it comes to AI in infrastructure:
It’s not about bolting a language model onto your system.
It’s about designing the right boundaries for control, safety, and execution.
Would love to hear your thoughts!
Have you built similar tooling for your homelab or local infrastructure?
#Homelab #PrivateCloud #VMware #PlatformEngineering #AI #LocalFirst #DevTools #Infrastructure
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Topics: #vmware, #platformengineering, #infrastructure, #ai, #localfirst, #privatecloud, #homelab, #devtools